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Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Once Again I seem to have fallen behind on this whole posting thing haven't I?!

In my defense, December is always a rather busy month! Birthdays and Christmas Parties and all that jazz. Sadly being exceptionally busy every weekend, and having been sick for the last week with a cold, my creativity has taken a small vacation. I did however, manage to make the following piece which I am quite proud of since it took some imagination to get it to all work and stay together.

- Curling up on the couch with my husband and nerding it out watching episode after episode of Stargate SG-1 (I love him for putting up with me and my silly loves)

- Freshly fallen snow

Those are just a few things! Sometimes I think I hate winter because I dislike the cold. But then I remember how beautiful snow is, and how nice it is to snuggle up inside and just spend time with loved ones.

Friday, December 3, 2010

I've felt rather spoiled lately. First a trip to Hawaii and then my husband's work had an overnight Christmas Party at Emerald Lake Lodge which was utterly GORGEOUS! It was so crisp and beautiful out there. A far cry from hot and sunny Hawaii but just as amazing and enjoyable (yes this is me admitting to maybe liking the cold for once).

If there is anything that makes me sure there is a Creator, is nature. Nothing as beautiful as our world could have happened by chance.

I also got a lovely tripod for my camera from my husband for my 25th birthday this week. December is such a full month. My birthday, my sister's birthday, Christmas, my wedding anniversary (6 years already!) and New Years. Tonight I shall set up my Christmas tree I think.

And after that, actually pay attention to my shop which has sadly been neglected with how busy I have been. I solemnly swear right now to do better! And make things!

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Ahh where to start. Stories?! Pictures?! Its all a big jumble in my head though, so many stories, so much money spent (isn't that what vacations are for) and even though I wrote a vague sort of journal I still wonder if I can get this down.

The best place I suppose, is the beginning, or at least, the first full day in Hawaii...

November 11, 2010

Due to the time change I woke up at 5:30am. Ridiculous. Mike and I got up anyway though since it was light out and paid for a ridiculously expensive buffet at the hotel restaurant. Then of course, WENT EXPLORING! This is what you do on vacation. Go exploring. That is my theory anyway. There was a farmers market and we saw sea turtles and ate shaved ice and did silly things, taking pictures and such. Found this place called 'Boston Basil' that serves Pizza and a Pop/Beer for $5 from 11am-5pm so that ended up being our lunch spot for the rest of vacation since the Pizza was AMAZING!

Honestly, I don't know what else we did other than wander a lot and spend the night sitting at the pool listening to this performer named Lindsey Lindsey who sung Hawaiian tunes mingled with good ol' classics.

November 12, 2010

Our Dives for the morning got canceled which sucked because I was really looking forward to them (though in all honesty it ended up being a blessing in disguise which you will understand when I get to it).

Instead we went Parasailing as I mentioned before!Mike was really silly for the pictures, it was pretty hilarious. We posed a lot. Or rather he did, I clung on for dear life and for the fear of getting sick due to motion sickness. I really detest my stomach. But it was still pretty incredible, the view, the fact that even though I am afraid of heights I still went and did it. I am proud of myself for that!

So after that we wandered a bit more then it was time to go on our night dive. I took a ton of gravol because I know I get sea sick and was already feeling sick but I managed to STILL get sick. The actual boat ride wasn't too bad, it was about a 40 minute trip and the boat was pretty big and I stood at the front and let the sun set around me which was gorgeous. But it was when the boat STOPPED that I started to get sick as it rolled with the waves. By the time the dive masters finished their briefing I was positively green and said, "I AM GETTING MY GEAR ON AND GETTING IN THE WATER NOW!" So I did.

THE ACTUAL DIVE THOUGH! SO AMAZING. There was only one Manta that showed up, a female affectionately named Kiley by the divers around there, and she is about 6 ft across. So small for a female (Big Bertha, who didn't show up but does from time to time, is 16ft across!!!) and she just did loops and circles around us, grazing our masks and flipping and her mouth was HUGE and it was scary and exhilarating and amazing and I don't have pictures because I forgot my camera on the boat since I was so sick. BUT REALLY! If you ever have a chance.... go.... it was so cool. Of course I puked everywhere when I got to surface and had to be like hauled onto the boat and then puked more over the edge and then curled in a little ball and tried to disappear.

We did order a video of our dive though, so hopefully that will show up in a few weeks time.

November 13, 2010

So I was supposed to go on two dives in the morning, but I opted out and Mike went on his own because I was dehydrated and still dizzy from being sick the night before. I was really sad too because he saw dolphins and sea turtles and eagle rays and eels and D:! JEALOUS! LOL Instead I sat by the pool and worked on my tan

Mike picked up our sweet car after his dives and while we were supposed to get an economy car, the lady was too lazy to walk around to the other parking lot, so she gave Mike a 2010 Dodge Charger instead for the same price! It made driving very enjoyable.

Since we had a vehicle, we drove down south to the Place of Refuge that night, which was a city during King Kamehameha's rule that anyone could go to for refuge and they couldn't be touched there. Something akin to the Catholic Church of old.

November 14, 2010

Our day was a traveling day. We drove to Hilo to visit my friend Mika and see the East side of the Island. It was pouring rain over there but we had a blast visiting all the touristy type sights on the way, like all the gorgeous waterfalls and small coves with crashing waves. I took a ton of pictures...

(Click Thumbnails To Make Bigger)

Basically we scrambled over rocks in the rain, ate amazing food, went to botanical gardens and got lost in a hedge maze, went to a candy shoppe and drank tea to warm up. Then Mike and I left Mika to drive home in the rain.

November 15, 2010

We drove up to Kekaha Kai State Park on this HORRIBLE tiny road over the lava beds and our beefy car made it! There, we played for hours in the waves, watching surfers and getting water logged and scraped up on the rocks. It was seriously so much fun and hilarious. I think the other people there thought we must have the minds of children.

This was pretty much right before I got completely rocked by the waves and tossed about.

After that we went back to the hotel and went snorkling in the bay and saw some weird fish and had fun with our underwater camera until we got cold and moved our play to the hotel pool and hot tub.

November 16, 2010

VOLCANO DAY!

(Click Thumbnails To Make Bigger)

So we first hiked the rim of the old crater before crossing the crater and coming back up the other side. It was slightly disconserting I am not going to lie, especially the steam vents in the middle from water that trickles down during the rain and gets heated up far under ground.

From there we went to hike the old lava tubes which were pretty incredible. Apparently it is the longest chain of lava tubes in the world. We only explored a tiny, lit piece of it though. After that we went off to go see the active volcano which you could see from the crater we were crossing. We never did get to see any actual lava though, it had wiped out one of the roads to go see it so the only way was by boat of helicopter safely... and that was really expensive. Still, the smoke smelled like sulphur and it was pretty incredible to witness.

After that we went to Punalu'u Black Sand Beach which was phenomenal because it really was just a long stretch of black sand. You couldn't even walk on it on barefeet because it got too hot. But even cooler were the sea turtles that bask themselves on the sand.

We went to Ka Lae (South Point) after that, its the southern most point of the Island, and we were going to go to the Green Sand Beach, but we got there too late and it was a 45minute hike and we wouldn't have been able to see it in the light anyway. Sadly.

November 17, 2010

Last day in Hawaii. We wandered about for a bit and found this jewellery shop that you got to crack your own oyster shell open and were guaranteed at least one pearl. I wasn't going to do it, but then the lady gave me a basket of coupons to pick from and I got a 50% off coupon which made it only $7 so I thought why not?! In the end though it was worth it because the oyster I picked had two black pearls in it, the rarest kind. The lady actually looked really stunned. So I got them set in a pair of silver earrings that are really pretty.

After that it was off to the Tattoo Shop so I could get my tattoo done. I was there several times that week actually, working on the design with the artist and booking the appointment and such. It only took just under two hours and we watched Harry Potter while he did it. It was good, didn't hurt near as badly as my other one did.

Really honestly, after that we just wandered some more and read books on the grass by the beach and it was nice, relaxing. Our flight didn't leave until 9:45pm so we had all day to ourselves.

I am sure I missed a ton of amazing things and this is really random and probably boring but here you go. This was my trip in semi long form with lots of photos. Maybe Mike can fill in the holes. There are of course, more photos on my facebook, along with the names of the places.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

I really like to get dressed up. I am sure most of you know that already, but since it is Halloween it is one time I can do it and not have people look at me strangely for it.

My favorite part of my costume was my makeup, it turned out really well I think so I wanted to share some pictures. I even had a girl ask me where I had gotten it done, which pleased me a great deal since I'd done it myself.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Okay so there is a story about the above photos. A story of utter fail (welcome to my life).

I was bored and wanted to do red makeup, I couldn't seem to make a necklace but wanted to do something creative anyway so makeup it was. It was all going well too, until I decided to put on fake lashes.

Now before I go on, let me tell you, I put fake eyelashes on all the time, that wasn't the problem. The problem was that my hands were full with eyelashes on one side, fiddling with the lamp so I had better light on the other, and needed to put the little glass vial of glue somewhere.

Right.

PUTTING IT IN YOUR MOUTH IS A GREAT IDEA RIGHT?! It was closed....

Unfortunately it shattered.

LET ME TELL YOU! EYELASH GLUE DOES NOT TASTE GOOD! And for the rest of the night my lips kept on sticking together. Thankfully I didn't cut myself?!

Friday, October 22, 2010

I haven't posted anything writing wise on here in a while. I found something that I wrote months ago that is once again bordering on 'dark' and contains some 'language' and mentions of sex, but I like it anyway. Don't read any further if that sort of thing in writing offends you.

It was interesting to write though, based off of two things, the following quote;

And I've seen what you make for money and I've seen what you do for fame. I've seen what you do to make people like you and I've seen what you swallow to ease the pain. I've heard what you say out of malice and I've heard what you spat out of spite.

But none of these things make you happy because not one was done for love.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Do you ever wish you could go back to being a child? When things were simple and it was easy to have faith in people? I want to still be like that, and perhaps sometimes I am still naive because there are times I am still shocked by the hate and judgments of those around me.

Most of the time I simply don't understand.

I don't understand judging people and hating them because they have a different faith.
I don't understand judging people and hating them because they love someone of the same gender.
I don't understand judging people and hating them because they were born of a different race.
I don't understand judging people and hating them because they don't fit society's perception of normal.
I don't understand judging people and hating them because they aren't classically beautiful.

Then I realize that most of the time I realize I am just as guilty as everyone else.

I want to change that.

Tomorrow I am wearing purple for Spirit Day.

Spirit Day honors the teenagers who had taken their own lives in recent weeks. But just as importantly, it's also a way to show the hundreds of thousands of LGBT youth who face the same pressures and bullying, that there is a vast community of people who support them. - http://www.mountainx.com/blogwire/2010/wear_purple_tomorrow_for_spirit_day

Friday, October 8, 2010

Last month I did a makeup tutorial with the plans of creating a nice simple everyday look... then promptly decided that bright purple was more fun. This time, I actually managed to keep it pretty and simple. So here you are, a 'Natural Look' type of tutorial.

I started off at the eyes this time. Since my last one I showed everything, you can go HERE for the first few steps.

Step One: Paint

Say what? Paint? Let me explain. I call it paint because I use MAC Bare Canvas Paint. What it really is, is an eyeshadow primer. You know how makeup creases due to oil and sweat and well, really just blinking, during the day? Paint helps prevent that. Makes the makeup 'stick' better so to speak.

Normally I don't use it because I use high quality makeup and therefore I don't need it. But I thought it would be a good idea to include in a tutorial because it is a handy product to have. I think I even mentioned it in my last tutorial, but since I didn't have any at the time I could demonstrate it. This time however, I went out and bought some (Word of Advice: Don't try to go to the mall when you are on crutches the first weekend the new expansion is complete. Mayhem!!) and so without further ado...

Put a little dollop on your finger (the amount I put on my finger in the picture is plenty for both eyes) and evenly smear over both eyelids, from corner to corner, and up to the brow line, even under the eye. Basically anywhere you are going to have eyeshadow. Give it a few seconds to dry and onto the next step.

Step Two: Blending/Crease

I have no idea why I am even naming steps things since blending/crease doesn't really fit.... anyway. Here is where I give the eye a bit more depth. I chose a color darker than my skin tone but still light, a sort of peachy brown tan (Danae by Pure Fusion) and spread it from the outside corner of my eye, up towards my brow line (but not all the way up to my eyebrow, leave a small gap for your highlighter that comes later) and along the crease towards the inner corner, but not on the main lid, using a rounded brush.

Here, pictures are easier to explain,

Make Sense?

Step Three: Shading

Taking a darker color, I used the same brush to apply shadow in just the outer corner and a bit up into the crease. This just adds a bit more depth. I used Vesta by Pure Fusion.

Note: See the bit of shadow that dropped onto my cheek? Instead of trying to wipe that away with your fingers, use a large clean brush (say one used for applying powder foundation) and gently dust the excess shadow away with that. It will help prevent it from streaking and getting pressed into your skin

Step Four:Eyeliner

For this look I lined the entire eye, but only very lightly. Like my previous tutorial, I still put the eyeliner right up as close as I can get, but I didn't put it on as darkly since I want the look to be natural. You can also go without the eyeliner, my preference is just to wear it.

Step Five: Blending the Eyeliner

Another option is to use a brown eyeliner, but since I don't actually have one since I never use it, I blended the black liner with brown shadow after so it wasn't as bold.

To do this I took my flat angled brush and wet it. Dipping it in the same shadow used in the step above (Vesta for me) I applied that on top of the black, softening it.

Step Six: Highlighter

Using a pale shadow (white or cream) apply a small amount in the inside corner of your eye and as well as up along your brow line. I used a small angled dry brush and lightly dusted it on. This step just helps brighten up the eye.

I used 'Bare it All' by Pure Fusion Mineral Makeup.

Step Seven: Mascara

I curl my lashes first, making my eyelashes more noticeable. For Mascara I use Maybeline XXL Pro Curl.

And that's it!

I think I probably went into better detail on my last tutorial, but I hope this one was just as helpful.